Jinx
by PastelAndPaint
Summary: Every year, a potion-making contest is held for all of the royal sorcerers in the Tri-Kingdom Area. Cedric knows he knows he'll need all the help he can get to make a potion that will actually work! By the urging of Princess Sofia, he reluctantly agrees to get help from the new royal librarian of Enchancia; a smart but naive woman named Blythe.
1. Welcoming The Librarian

Princess Sofia was tucked in her bed as she slept comfortably in her huge, royal bedroom. It was the standard Princess Suite...complete with a canopy bed, window seat, playing area, reading nook, and a ball gown wardrobe packed with royal accessories! Sofia even had a bell to ring, in case she ever needed anything. Her windows were covered in thick, pink curtains and her walls were a light, pretty shade of pink. Princess Sofia's floor was made out of beautiful, shiny marble that glimmered and twinkled as the sun began to rise. The rays from the sun hit Sofia's face, through her window, making her open her blue eyes to see her bunny friend named Clover sitting on her fluffy pillow. She smiled and giggled, sitting up in her bed.

"Good morning, Clover!"

The little girl, in her blue nightgown, hugged the grey bunny and picked him up. He had floppy ears and yellow eyes… and a grumpy look on his face.

Sofia asked, kindly, "What's wrong?"

Sofia wore an enchanted amulet, given to her by her stepfather, King Roland. It gave her a blessing, or curse, with each deed she did every day. The amulet even gave her the ability to talk to animals such as Clover! It was a pretty shade of purple and it began to sparkle in the morning sunlight.

Clover replied, still in Sofia's arms, "Sorry to burst your bubble, kid, but I think you forgot to wake up early."

Sofia gasped. She put Clover on her bed and rushed to go inside her wardrobe room, which was filled with hundreds of sparkly gowns of every color. She closed the door and came out in the purple dress she loved to wear everyday! Sofia liked it because of the way the pearls glimmered when she stepped out into the sun.

Sofia announced, blushing, "I'm ready! Oops, I almost forgot my tiara."

The little girl was still getting used to being a princess. You see, she wasn't always royalty. She used to live in the village of Enchancia, just living a normal life with her mom who was a humble shoe-maker. Suddenly, that all changed in a blink of an eye when her mom married King Roland. Sofia saw her tiara on her nightstand, grabbed it, and placed it on her head.

She giggled, turning towards Clover, "Now I'm ready!"

When Sofia became a princess, she learned she had a stepbrother and a stepsister named James and Amber. Not only that, Sofia learned quickly that being a princess wasn't as easy as it seemed. Being a princess isn't just about pretty dresses and shoes; it has to come from the heart. Even more, she now had a beautiful and magical treasure to protect. She was learning more about it every single day. Sofia picked up her purple dress off of the floor and headed towards the door. Clover hopped after her, to get outside, before she closed the door. She stepped into the hallway where the royal steward, Baileywick, was waiting with a pocket watch in his hand.

Baileywick exclaimed, with a smile, "Oh, there you are, Princess Sofia! What a pleasant surprise. You should have been awake twenty minutes ago. The new librarian is coming!"

Sofia blushed, doing a little curtsy.

"I'm so sorry!"

Baileywick put his pocket watch back into his waistcoat and replied, "Don't worry, it's alright. Hurry, now, you don't want to be late!"

The hallways were buzzing with life and activity. Servants and maids were doing last-minute cleaning, trying to make the castle look its very best. Sofia waved good-bye and hurried to the throne room with Clover by her side, where her family was waiting. Blue curtains, trimmed with yellow, were hung above the royal family. A long, blue carpet was on the floor. It went from the main entrance all the way to where the royal family was sitting. Magnificent, white pillars lined the entrance as well while long, tall windows were in between the pillars. A fancy chandelier was hung from the ceiling while its candles glowed brightly. It was truly a welcoming sight to anyone who came to Enchancia! There were even knights in shining armor here and there. Sofia's mom, Miranda, greeted her daughter with a big hug. She was dressed in a pink, bow-covered ball gown. Miranda's husband, King Roland, wore a red cape fit for a king that had white and black fluffy edges. With his shimmering royal crown, and a sun symbol on his vest, he was quite handsome. When Princess Sofia had come running in, Miranda took one look at her daughter's messy brown hair and knew she had overslept.

The queen told her little Princess, with a laugh, "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!"

Sofia took a seat, next to Amber, who was trying to hold back her laughter. Sofia put on a bashful smile. Amber asked, after she had calmed down, "Do you like my dress? It's new!"

She wore a silver dress and it was clearly sown with velvet-looking material. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, which was a surprise to Sofia! Sofia gave her sister a thumbs-up. Just then, a slender man in a purple robe came in with a wand in his hand. He had a raven sitting on his shoulder. The man was the royal sorcerer.

Sofia was so thrilled to see him that she shouted, very loudly, "Hi, Mr. Cee-dric! So glad you could make it!"

Sofia covered her mouth, suddenly realizing she shouldn't blurt out.

Princess Sofia whispered to her mom, politely, "Sorry."

His name was Cedric but Sofia often mispronounced his name. He didn't bother correcting her anymore.

Cedric replied, smiling a little, "Hello, Princess."

Cedric was the son of Goodwin, who was considered the greatest sorcerer to ever wave a wand. Because of that, Cedric was criticized of his magical abilities. He thought the only way to prove he was a great sorcerer, like his father, was to steal Sofia's amulet so he could take over the kingdom of Enchancia. Cedric wanted nothing more than for others to give him some respect. He did, however, have a soft spot for Sofia. The royal sorcerer came to throne room not because he needed to, but because he wanted to out of boredom. Cedric was curious to see what the new librarian was like. He didn't have anything to do in his sorcery workshop, anyway.

Baileywick walked over to King Roland and told him, "I think the librarian is a little late."

Suddenly, the golden doors swung open, and a red-headed woman in a blue dress walked in. She carried a wagon full of books, had a pencil in her ear, and an apple in her mouth. Her other arm was filled with papers. The young lady attempted to speak.

Baileywick asked, chuckling, "May I help you with that?"

The lady nodded her head, nervously. Baileywick took the apple out of her mouth and stepped to the side.

The short-haired woman cleared her throat and began, "I'm, uh, Blythe. I-I was late so I couldn't eat breakfast. I tried to eat, walking here, but that didn't exactly work out as you can see."

She gave them a brave smile, even though her legs were trembling so much that she could barely speak. Blythe's messy, short hair was tied into a ponytail with a pink lace. The pink lace was so long that it almost touched the floor. She had a sleeveless, strapless blue dress. The top of her dress included a silk-like, flowing matieral that draped all around her shoulders in a length that reached the top of her back and chest. Her shoes were adorned with blue bows.

Not knowing what else to say, she shrugged and stated the obvious, "I'm going to be your new librarian!"

King Roland said, in an encouraging manner, "I see you're nervous! Don't be afraid, I'm sure you'll do just fine here."

Sofia joined in, beaming, "Yeah!"

Blythe joked, a little out of breath, "Yeah, if I can get to the library without dropping all of these papers all over the floor!"

The entire royal family, including Baileywick, laughed. Cedric, on the other hand, just gave her a blank stare. Blythe turned and looked at her wagon filled with books.

"I brought some new books for the library, if you don't mind!"

Queen Miranda looked at her husband and then back at Blythe and exclaimed, "Great!"

Sofia complimented, pointing to the lady's dress, "I love your gown!"

Blythe's eyes widened. She opened her mouth a little but no words came out. She looked around, a bit clueless.

Blythe placed a finger on her chest and whispered, "Me?"

Sofia nodded and giggled causing Blythe to laugh loudly and snort. She was so honored that she let go of her grip on her wagon's handle. She twirled in her gown. She was ditzy… and found herself dizzy. She wobbled as she twirled and almost fell backwards into her wagon of books. Blythe found her balance and settled down.

"Ditto! Wait, was I supposed to say that? I meant me too. Yeah, me too."

King Roland and Queen Miranda gave each other confused glances. They both seemed to notice how peculiar and odd she was. Cedric rolled his eyes as his raven, Wormwood, grumbled and cawed at Blythe's awkward behavior. Blythe noticed this and sighed melodramatically as she realized how foolish she had been. Laughing nervously, she bit her lip and rubbed her arm.

Blythe asked Baileywick, not making eye contact, "Um... could you show me to the library?"

The royal steward nodded and bowed as he replied, "Yes, mam. This way."

Blythe's freckled cheeks turned a bright red. She wasn't used to this much attention! She had pretty much lived her whole life inside her home up until now! Blythe grabbed the handle to her wagon and followed Baileywick, her patience growing thin. The young lady couldn't wait to see what the library looked like and she wondered what awaited her in her new life in this huge castle! After all, she was used to her small cottage back in the village.

_I wonder how many books there are! Oh, goodness! Probably a thousand! It's going to be heaven. Ooh, I can't wait! Once I get paid enough, maybe I could finally get a chance to publish that book I've been writing… if I don't mess everything up._

She wanted to squeal but she knew that she should keep quiet. Her eyes were locked on the walls around her and she couldn't help but feel that the attention to detail was stunning. She saw portraits lined up with one another. Some were of previous kings and queens and some were of the current two, Queen Miranda and King Roland.

Blythe said, in awe, "Wow! This is amazing, sir. Well, whatever your name is."

The royal steward replied, "Indeed! It sure is. My name is Baileywick."

Blythe said, absentmindedly, as she admired the portraits she saw, "Oh, okay. Thank you. Got it."

She walked near the walls as she took time to look at every masterpiece. Since her eyes never left the portraits, she didn't see that she was about to walk into a table that had a glass vase on it…with flowers inside! She crashed into it, sending the breakable vase flying towards the floor. Luckily, there was a maid named Violet nearby who had been dusting a few things. The maid caught it right before it could hit the marble floor. Violet, a little out of breath, placed the vase in its original spot and organized the flowers. Then, she wiped off the water she got on her hands onto her apron.

The kind maid told the new librarian, in her soft British voice, "I think you should be a little careful next time, my dear. It's alright, though! I was like that my first time here. The castle is beautiful, isn't it?"

Blythe said, as she nodded and smiled, "Thank you for that! I can be a bit clumsy. I know, right?"

Inside, however, Blythe wanted to pinch herself.

_There I go again, being a fool. How did I not see that table coming? Now, look what I did. I'm sure she's mad at me and she's just too nice to tell. Blythe, get yourself together._

Baileywick greeted the maid, which happened to make Blythe snap into reality, "Ah! There you are! Thanks for being such a great help, Violet."

Violet replied, a little shy, "Great help? Goodness no! I'm just doing my job. Thank you, anyway!"

Baileywick turned towards the short, young librarian. Blythe held her head low. She was slouched because of her poor posture. When she noticed that the royal steward was looking at her, she perked up and tried to look happy. Meanwhile, Violet was resuming her usual routine of cleaning the palace.

Baileywick asked the red-headed woman, smiling, "Shall we continue?"

Blythe replied, her voice wavering, "S-Sure."

After a couple of steps further, Baileywick stopped. At first, Blythe was a bit puzzled but then she realized that they were at the library. The royal steward gestured towards his right, where enormous golden doors seemed to whisper Blythe's name. Blythe's tiny hands instantly touched the doorknobs to the library. She held her breath and closed her eyes. She turned the doorknob, hoping that the library was as big and beautiful as she dreamed it would be. Blythe opened her eyes and gasped. It was! The shelves held books that were sorted in every genre one could possibly imagine. The ceiling was very high and it seemed to touch the clouds! In the center of the room, was a huge fireplace. Blythe took a deep breath, enjoying the lovely smell of burning fire. Above the fireplace was a painting of King Roland in his finest clothing! In front of the fireplace was a table where Blythe could do all of her work and guests could check out books. The drawers in the desk could hold important papers and documents. There was even a globe of the planet set on the table, if she ever needed it for any reason. Comfortable couches and small tables were at every corner of the room, too!

Blythe let go of her wagon's handle and her papers. She dropped everything she had and grabbed the first book she could get a hold of. Blythe sat at her new desk, making herself comfortable. Baileywick, being a polite gentleman, grabbed her belongings and quietly placed it next to the new librarian. Blythe was enthralled with every word of the book in her hand that she didn't even notice.

Baileywick said, walking out of the library, "If you ever need anything, just let me know!"

Blythe nodded but she didn't really hear or acknowledge what he just said. She was too jittery and hyper to care. Before this, Blythe lived her entire life in a cottage back in the village with her parents. She loved her mother with her whole heart. However, she barely stepped outside because her mother wanted to keep her safe. Because of this, she never got a chance to explore the outside world like other children. The only thing she could do was sit by her window and create poetry to describe what she saw. She envied the children who would play jump rope and tag in front of her house. If only they knew how lucky they were! Blythe went to school but it wasn't enough to satisfy her. Now that she was all grown-up, she could do what she wanted! Blythe wanted to do and try things she never got to as a child. In fact, Blythe had already planned every single adventure she would have! She wanted to see snow, go swimming, go hiking, plant flowers, stick her feet in the mud, and go to big parties! Plus, so much more! Blythe finally felt normal for a change and she was enjoying every minute of it. She wondered if the world was as amazing, beautiful, and perfect as her books had described.

Blythe continued to read the book that she had grabbed. As the hours ticked by, Blythe soon fell into a deep sleep. It didn't occur to her that the world might not be as perfect as it seemed...


	2. A Smidge Of Hope

Late at night, when everyone was asleep in the castle, Cedric stayed up in his workshop searching for a way to take over the kingdom. A lot of people did not visit him. To get to his tower, one would have to climb a huge amount of stairs. The entrance to his workshop was also the home of two stone gargoyles. They had nasty snarls permanently carved on their faces. It was certainly eerie enough for anyone to turn and walk away. Inside, a frustrated Cedric was sitting at his desk. He was fed up with doing silly parlor tricks when he could be slaying dragons, battling ogres, and doing something meaningful for a change! He flipped through spell books and jotted down ideas on how he could snatch Princess Sofia's amulet and harness its powers to take over the kingdom of Enchancia.

He rarely cleaned his workshop. Crumpled up papers were thrown on the floor and beakers were carelessly tossed away. He even had a pair of green socks and a green shirt hung on a clothing line! The only person that ever visited him was Sofia so he didn't really care what his workshop looked like. Wormwood was perched on a stand as he watched his master work. Cedric had a chemistry set, a weighing scale, and a massive collection of spell books. There's a spell for everything… just name it! He had so many spell books that he had to use a ladder to grab one, sometimes. Even if it meant he had to climb all the way to the ceiling!

Cedric had one window in his workshop and the moonlight was his only source of light during the night. The moonlight flooded the dark, cold tower allowing the sorcerer and his raven to navigate their way through the workshop if they ever needed it. Suddenly, as Cedric was working away, there was a knock on the door! He jumped at the sound, a bit startled. Cedric rubbed his eyes and yawned. Slightly annoyed, Cedric opened his door to see Baileywick with a letter in his hands.

"This is for you."

"A letter…for me? Are you sure?" Cedric asked, tilting his head.

The royal steward nodded, handing it to the sorcerer. Cedric grabbed it, cautiously, and closed the door slowly as Baileywick turned to leave. His beady eyes were wide open with curiosity as he opened the letter. Wormwood crowed and tried to get a good look at the letter, too. Cedric breathed slowly in fear as he continued to read on. He gulped as the paper shook within his hands, which made Wormwood flap his wings and land on Cedric's shoulder to give him some company. The letter was an invitation to the annual potion-making contest! Only the royal sorcerers of the Tri-Kingdom Area could participate. In the past, Cedric's potions for the contest always failed and he always had his fair share of embarrassment.

Once, Cedric made a potion that was intended to turn an ordinary plant into a beautiful rose. Instead, it turned into a pile of fowl-smelling socks in front of everyone… much to Cedric's dismay. Everyone laughed and mocked him! Plus, it just wasn't really creative or useful, anyway. From that day on, he despised the contest with a passion. Cedric felt like wallowing in self-pity! There was just no way he could win this year and he didn't want to make the foolish mistake to think that he actually could. Cedric looked at the portrait of his mother and his father hung on the wall near his desk.

_Oh, joy. Here's another potion to add to my big book of failures. _

Cedric patted his trustworthy raven friend on the head.

"How will I make a potion that _won't _end in disaster, Wormy?" Cedric moaned with a glum expression on his face.

* * *

Morning soon arrived and Blythe was still snoozing away in her library, book in hand. The woman mumbled random things in her sleep as she tossed and turned in her chair.

"Mommy, I want to buy a chocolate milkshake..."

At that very moment, Princess Sofia walked in but it didn't wake Blythe at all. The little girl walked up to her and tapped her shoulder. Half-awake and with her eyes still closed, Blythe lifted the book in her hand.

"I have a book and I'm not afraid to use it, ice cream man! I want a chocolate milkshake and I want it now!" Blythe raised her voice.

The young princess giggled, "It's me, Sofia!"

Yawning and stretching her arms, Blythe awoke from her restless sleep when she heard the sound of Sofia's soft voice. When Blythe opened her eyes, she saw Sofia staring at her with a huge grin on her face.

"What?" Blythe asked, shrugging her shoulders.

Sofia smiled and replied, "You were talking in your sleep!"

"Oh, silly me." Blythe managed to say, feeling quite bashful.

"I need a book on table manners for Royal Prep. Do you have anything?"

It suddenly hit Blythe. She forgot to check to see how the books were organized in the library! She bit her lip and sighed. She got out of her chair and starting searching through books, frantically. Blythe became overcome with stress. Nervously, she looked around, in hopes that she might find the book Sofia needed.

Princess Sofia noticed how panicked she was and said politely, "You don't know where it is?"

The red-headed woman shook her head. Sofia nodded, understanding. Just then, the little girl spotted a section just for children to her delight.

Sofia exclaimed, pointing to the section, "That's where it should be!"

Blythe let out a sigh of relief, the butterflies in her stomach disappearing. Sofia ran towards the book section and found just what she needed; a book on table manners. Smiling from ear to ear, Sofia gave Blythe a big hug.

The young Princess stepped back and said, "I know you're afraid about being a librarian here. I thought I was going to be a _terrible _Princess but I was wrong. You'll be fine, I just know it!"

Blythe narrowed her eyes and rubbed her chin. She scratched her head and gave it some thought.

"You know what? You're right!" Blythe exclaimed, beaming.

Waving good-bye as she stepped out of the library, Sofia replied, "See you later!"

Blythe felt a boost of confidence. Once again, she grabbed the story she was writing. It was supposed to be a book for children. It was a cute story about a forbidden romance between and a swan and a fearsome dragon. They loved each other but they were very different and from completely opposite worlds. Blythe placed her pencil on the paper. She was hoping some inspiration would come to her… but nothing did. She squinted as she thought, trying to think of a way to make a story worth reading. She sighed and rested her head on her desk, feeling hopeless. Everything was silent and the only sound Blythe heard was the constant ticking of the clock behind her. Every minute that passed seemed to make Blythe's worry build.

_What if it doesn't come out as I hoped? _

She sat there, for what seemed like eternity, letting her mind brainstorm and imagine things. Suddenly, the library doors creaked open. Blythe yelped in surprise! Cedric slowly walked in. He never bothered to go to the library until now. He looked around and tried to make sense of the new place. With Wormwood on his shoulder and a wand in his hand, he was ready to begin potion-making… and hopefully make something that wasn't a failure. There was only one problem. He needed some extra books on potion-making. Maybe it would help him make a better potion. As soon as Cedric walked in, Blythe got up and did an awkward curtsy with enthusiasm.

Blythe began, feeling tongue-tied, "You must be… wait. What's your name?"

"Cedric."

Blythe looked at him and tried to figure out what his job was. She instantly took notice of the sparkling wand he held within his hand.

"You must be the royal sorcerer!" Blythe concluded, feeling proud of herself.

Cedric replied, sarcastically, "Wow. How did you notice?"

"I know! I am quite smart." Blythe stated as she crossed her arms.

"Haven't you ever heard of sarcasm?" Cedric asked, rolling his eyes at the young woman.

"Well, I have _read _about it."

"That was a rhetorical question."

Blythe opened her mouth to speak but Cedric stopped her, putting his hand up.

Cedric informed her with a look of disgust on his face, "I need a book on potion-making, if you don't mind."

"Oh, um, right!"

Before Blythe could get moving, she noticed the raven on Cedric's shoulder. To Cedric's annoyance, the curious lady petted Wormwood. She reached into the pocket in her dress and found a healthy snack just for birds like him! She fed it to him by hand without hesitation. Wormy gobbled it up in a jiffy much to Cedric's surprise. The little critter then let out a pleased crow.

Blythe rubbed his feathered cheeks and said with a sweet voice, "You're a good boy."

"Sometime this century would be nice." Cedric muttered.

Blythe blushed and started climbing a ladder to find the book he needed. She looked closely at every book label but she couldn't find a single book on potion-making. Not even a single book on spell-casting or sorcery, for that matter. Blythe looked back to see an impatient Cedric who was tapping his foot. A drop of sweat rolled down her forehead.

_Oh, I do hope he won't be mad at me._

Just as the red-headed woman thought this, she found the perfect book! She grabbed it, her hands trembling with excitement. She climbed down the ladder faster than a blink of an eye!

The two exclaimed in unison at the sight of the book, "Merlin's mushrooms!"

Blythe's eyes widened as she shouted, "Jinx!"

Cedric tilted his head, puzzled. He took a few steps backward, feeling a bit uncomfortable with Blythe's annoying vibe.

The royal sorcerer questioned her, squinting his eyes, "What?"

"I put a curse on you, silly! Now you owe me something!"

"Look, I am a royal sorcerer and I know every spell there is. There is no such curse."

Blythe frowned, a bit discouraged. Cedric began walking away, not even saying thanking her. He didn't even give a hint of regret. Blythe tried to catch up with him.

Blythe called to him, with a smidge of hope in her voice, "Can you please help me with my book? I'll help you with anything you want, in return! I promise!"

Cedric grumbled sarcastically as he walked farther and farther down the halls, "I would _love_ to chit-chat but I have no time for foolish shenanigans!"

Blythe was desperate for anyone to help her with her book. It was bland and uninteresting to her. Who would ever read it? Instead of returning to the library, she decided to wonder the castle. While she was aimlessly walking around, she came across a hand-powered elevator. A pleasantly plump man in a fancy suite was standing there, ready to get the machine moving. She stepped inside wondering where it would take her to. When the doors opened, Blythe was surprised. It was the observatory! The shining sun illuminated the entire room making the purple floor below glow. The clouds in the ocean blue sky made the light less intense, giving the room a little shade. She saw Princess Sofia sitting on the floor reading her book on table manners. Blythe noticed she had a rabbit by her side.

"Oh, hi! I've never seen your bunny before! What's his name?"

Sofia looked up and replied, "This is Clover. What brings you here?"

"I don't know. Just strolling around, I guess."

Blythe looked around and saw a stand holding a display of the planets and a chart on the wall that explained star constellations. She walked up to the chart and took a good look at the Big Dipper.

_Wow! It looks just like the pictures in my books!_

Her negative, sad feelings soon disappeared. The sun's radiant light filled her heart with joy and gave her much needed energy. Finally, her dreams were coming true and she could get to see the world at last. Nothing… no one… was going to stop her. No one was going to rain on her parade. She sat next to Sofia and crossed her legs. Then, she picked up Clover and cuddled him as he squirmed and tried to get out of her tight grasp. When Blythe finally let him go, he let out a sigh of relief.

Sofia giggled and asked Blythe, "How has your day been?"

Blythe frowned and tucked a stray piece of red hair behind her ear.

"Well, I've had better days. I've been writing a book and I really need help on it because it isn't coming out as I planned. On top of that, the royal sorcerer came in and he wasn't exactly... friendly."

Sofia said, trying to reassure her, "Mr. Cee-dric? He can be like that but he's really nice once you get know him. I know just the thing to cheer you up!"

The young girl stood up and twirled in her gown with a joyful smile on her face. She took Blythe by the hand and stepped into the elevator. Before the door could close, Clover managed to get in just in the nick of time. The little Princess took the new librarian to the circular courtyard in the back of the castle. Bushes surrounded them and in the center of the courtyard was a beautiful water fountain. In the middle of the pond was a humongous rock while a shimmering, pretty statue of a swan sat on top. Real swans were waiting there, too. They squawked when they saw Sofia.

"I brought food!" Princess Sofia announced, her eyes gleaming with kindness.

She threw bread crumbs into the air. The swans flapped their wings, sending drops of water flying. They caught the bread crumbs in their beaks and swallowed their tasty treat.

* * *

**This chapter is not finished yet but it will be soon.  
**


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